Evelyn’s POV

I nodded and took my stance. Better to see what she could do first – I stayed defensive.

Nadia threw a straight punch at my face. Fast, but telegraphed. I dodged left, noting her solid footwork.

“Nice reflexes,” she said, switching angles immediately.

For the next few exchanges, I stuck to defense. Nadia had decent fundamentals – someone had trained her well. But compared to what I dealt with daily, this felt manageable.

Acacia and her crew didn’t pull punches when they came for me.

“Are you testing me?” Nadia stopped mid-attack, irritation flashing in her eyes. “Don’t treat me like I’m made of glass – show me what you’ve got!”

I hesitated. Real fighting meant attention. Attention meant trouble.

But looking at her genuine expression, something in me cracked. I was tired of always hiding, always holding back.

Just once, I decided. Let me actually fight.

Orion’s POV

I was sparring with Elliot, but kept getting distracted by the pair next to us.

Evelyn and the new girl were starting their match. Honestly, I’d barely noticed Elliot’s sister before – she was like background noise, always there but never really seen.

Today felt different though. Maybe having Nadia around made her seem more… present.

“Focus, Ori.” Elliot’s fist grazed my cheek. “What’s got your attention?”

I blocked his follow-up, glancing over as Evelyn began her counterattack. Her movement…

“Hold up.” I stopped completely, turning toward their fight.

Elliot followed my gaze and frowned. “What?”

I couldn’t answer. I was too busy watching Evelyn move.

She wasn’t just fighting – she was flowing. Every dodge perfectly timed, every strike clean and precise. The speed was incredible, but it had this strange elegance to it.

“Has she always been this good?” I asked.

Elliot went quiet for a moment. “I… honestly don’t know.”

Around us, other people started stopping too. Everyone was getting drawn to this match, including Lucian, Magnus, and Milo.

“Damn,” Milo whistled. “That new girl’s got skills. Look at those reflexes.”

Typical Milo – always focused on the pretty girls. But he wasn’t wrong. Nadia was holding her own against whatever Evelyn was throwing at her.

“It’s not just Nadia,” Magnus said thoughtfully. “Look at Evelyn’s technique. That’s not regular training field stuff.”

He was right. Every move showed real combat experience. These weren’t textbook techniques – this was survival instinct, the kind you only developed when it mattered.

“Look at their speed,” Lucian said. “It’s like watching a dance.”

It really was. The two girls moved together like they’d choreographed it, but I could tell it was pure improvisation. They were having a conversation with their bodies.

“Elliot,” I had to ask, “what kind of training does your sister usually do?”

He shook his head, looking uncomfortable. “Basic stuff, and… Dad doesn’t really discuss her with me.”

Strange. As the Beta’s daughter, Evelyn should have been getting attention. But from Elliot’s reaction, her home situation seemed…

“Little Lightning’s been holding out on us,” Milo said suddenly.

“Little Lightning?” I looked at him.

“Just came to me,” he grinned. “Look at that speed – it’s like lightning.”

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